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IN THE SUPREME COURT OF INDIA

CIVIL  APPELLATE JURISDICTION  

CIVIL APPEAL NO. 7945    OF 2011

(Arising out of SLP(C) No.1327/2007)

STATE OF M.P. AND ANR.                    Appellant(s)

                    :VERSUS:

BABULAL                                   Respondent(s)

WITH

CIVIL APPEAL NOS. 7975-7977   OF 2011 (Arising out of SLP(C) Nos.12772-12774/2007)

CIVIL APPEAL NOS. 7947-7949   OF 2011 (Arising out of SLP(C) Nos.11981-11983 /2007)

CIVIL APPEAL NOS. 7950-7952    OF 2011 (Arising out of SLP(C) Nos.13378-13380 /2007)

CIVIL APPEAL NOS. 7953-7955   OF 2011 (Arising out of SLP(C) Nos.13382-13384/2007)

CIVIL APPEAL NOS. 7956-7958   OF 2011 (Arising out of SLP(C) Nos.14208-14210/2007)

CIVIL APPEAL NOS. 7959-7961    OF 2011 (Arising out of SLP(C) Nos.13087-13089/2007)

CIVIL APPEAL NOS. 7962-7964    OF 2011 (Arising out of SLP(C) Nos.13098-13100/2007)

CIVIL APPEAL NOS. 7965    OF 2011 (Arising out of SLP(C) No.11483/2008)

CIVIL APPEAL NOS. 7966-7968    OF 2011 (Arising out of SLP(C) Nos.16694-16696/2008)

CIVIL APPEAL NOS. 7972-7974    OF 2011 (Arising out of SLP(C) Nos.16115-16117/2008)

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O R D E R

1. Leave granted in all the matters.

2. We  have  heard  the  learned  counsel  for  the  

parties.  

3. The respondents in these appeals were working  

as daily rated employees in a project of the Public  

Health  Engineering  Department,  Respondent  No.2  

herein.  Their services were discontinued after the  

completion of the project. They filed an application  

under  the  M.P.  Industrial  Relations  Act  and  the  

Labour  Court  passed  an  order  directing  their  

reinstatement with back-wages.   

4. Respondent  No.2  preferred  an  appeal  before  

the  Industrial  Court  and  the  Industrial  Court  

allowed the appeal and set aside the order of the  

Labour Court.  The respondents challenged the order  

of the Industrial Court before the High Court.  

5. Learned  Single  Judge  of  the  High  Court  

allowed the writ petition filed by the respondents

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and  set aside the order passed by the Industrial  

Court and restored the order passed by the Trial  

Court with a modification that the appellants shall  

be liable  to pay 25% back-wages to the respondents  

from the date they were discontinued.   

6. The appellants filed a writ appeal before the  

High Court which was dismissed on the ground that  

the power, which the learned Single Judge exercised  

against the order passed by the Labour Court and the  

Industrial  Court,  was  under  Article  227  of  the  

Constitution.  The appellants are thus before this  

Court.  

7. In the peculiar facts and circumstances of  

these cases, we deem it appropriate to direct that  

the  respondents  be  reinstated  in  service  without  

back-wages. However, the State would be at liberty  

to give them employment wherever it is possible. We  

expect the State to ensure giving employment to the  

respondents  workers  nearer  to  the  place  of  their  

residence.  

8. The impugned order passed by the High Court

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is modified to the extent mentioned above and the  

appeals  are  disposed  of  accordingly.  Parties  are  

directed to bear their own costs.  

.....................J (DALVEER BHANDARI)

.....................J (DEEPAK VERMA)

New Delhi; September 15, 2011.